The Best Steaks To Marinate
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
When choosing a steak to buy, keep in mind that cuts closer to the hooves and horns tend to be tougher than those further away. We find that steaks from the leg and shoulder areas are ideal for marinating because these are the muscles that work the hardest on a cow. Flank steak, hanger steak, tri-tip, bottom round and eye of round are all great if youre looking for the best steak to grill and marinade.
Keep in mind that even sirloins, New York strips and tenderloins can get a boost from a quick marinade. They may not need much help in the tenderness department, but they can still benefit from the additional flavor learning how to make steak marinade provides.
How To Make Steak Marinade
Making the marinade itself takes practically notime! You will need a bowl and cling film or a Ziploc bag.
Use your steak marinade to serve up a flavorful pan seared NY strip or grilled cowboy ribeye steak. For more ideas on what to serve with steak, check out our page on the best steak side dishes! Enjoy!
What Is The Best Way To Make A Steak More Tender
8 techniques for making tough meat more tender Tenderize the meat by physically pounding it. When it comes to difficult pieces of meat like chuck steak, a meat mallet may be a surprising and efficient tool for breaking down the stiff muscle fibres. Make use of a marinade. Dont forget to add salt to taste. Allow it to warm up to room temperature before using. Cook it on a low heat for a long time. Make sure your body is at the proper temperature. Take a break from your meat. Using a cross-cut saw, cut against the grain.
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Allrecipes Community Tips And Praise
“Wonderful go-to marinade for not only steak, but I have tried it on chicken and pork,” says dkoski. “Family of four absolutely loves it.”
“This is the best steak marinade I have ever tried,” raves arhanover26. “I’ve tried it on many different types of steaks and they all turned out amazing! I would definitely recommend letting the steaks marinate for at least two hours as the recipe states. It is worth the wait!”
“This is now my go-to steak marinade for steaks,” according to Deb Leg. “Love it!! It makes even cheap steaks taste delicious and tender!”
What Type Of Steak Should You Use For This 3
When it comes to choosing the best steak for grilling, look for a tender cut of beef. The most tender cut is beef tenderloin, also called filet mignon. The filet comes from an underused muscle in the beef, so it has very little fat or connective tissue. It cooks up very quickly, and it takes well to marinades. Another grilling favorite is the ribeye steak. This steak has plenty of fat and marbling, which protects it from drying out as it cooks.
You dont have to go with an expensive steak, either. Top sirloin the steak we cooked to test this 3-ingredient steak marinade recipe is inexpensive and it has a great, beef-forward flavor. Other steaks that take well to acidic marinades like this one include flank steak and skirt steak. These steaks have more connective tissue than traditional grilling steaks, but they cook up quickly and become tender when marinated for up to 12 hours.
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Mix In Some Flavorings
The flavoring elements are simply thatflavor for the surface of your steak. So have fun and add whatever you think tastes good. Raid your condiment collection as well as your spice cupboard and herb garden. Try Worcestershire sauce or mustard, some miso or chili paste, sliced garlic or shallots or grated or pressed garlic, roughly chopped fresh herbs or herb sprigs , fresh or dried chiles, whole or ground spices, ketchup or sriracha, or grated or sliced fresh ginger or citrus zest.
Putting the final touches on my balsamic marinade for hanger steak.
What’s Happening As My Meat Marinates
When meat is exposed to an acidic marinade, like vinegar, wine, citrus juice, and tomatoes, the bonds break between protein bundles, and the proteins unwind, forming a loose mesh. Initially, water is trapped within this protein “net,” and tissue remains moist and juicy. But after a while, the protein bonds tighten, water squeezes out, and the tissue toughens.
On the other hand, enzymatic marinades work by using protein enzymes found in kiwi, papaya, raw pineapple, honeydew, and figs to break down the muscle fiber and connective tissue .
Dairy-based marinades, such as buttermilk or yogurt, are probably the only marinades that truly tenderize. They are only mildly acidic and don’t toughen meat the way strongly acidic marinades do. The calcium in dairy products activates enzymes in meat that break down proteins this process is similar to how aging tenderizes meat.
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The Perfect Steak Temperatures For Your Taste Pro Tips
The most sure-fire way to gauge when your steak is done is by using a digital thermometer. This way, you will know for sure that your steak is cooked to your fancy, and if you are entertaining guests, it means you wont mess things up. You insert your thermometer into the thickest part of the steak to check its level of doneness. Our first pro tip dont cook our steaks over 150 degrees F, or your cut may come out feeling dry and tough. Also, please remember to let your steaks rest! This is so important for keeping flavor and maintaining tenderness. Let your steaks rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into them. Here are a few tips to ensure your steak is done at the right temperature:
- Rare: Should have an internal temp of 130 degrees F
- Medium Rare: Should have an internal temp of 135 degrees F
- Medium: Should have an internal temp of 145 degrees F
- Medium Well: Should have an internal temp of 150 degrees F
- Well Done: Should have an internal temp of 160 degrees F
Remember, not all steaks are created equal. At Steak University, we suggest that you keep your steaks below medium well in order to have the most tender and juicy cuts of meat.
Marinate For At Least One Hour And Up To 12
Pour your marinade over your steak and toss to coat. You want to have as much meat surface as possible in contact with the marinade, and the easiest way to do this is in a resealable plastic bag, where you can seal it up tight so the marinade is encircling the meat entirely. If you’re not into plastic bags, use a glass or ceramic baking dish or wide shallow bowl and flip the meat every now and then. If you plan to cook the meat within one or two hours, leave it out on the counter to marinate otherwise put it in the fridge. Just remember to remove the meat about an hour before grilling so it has a chance to come to room temperature.
Thin cuts of steak shouldn’t marinate for more than 10 or 12 hours, so this is not so much of an overnight thingmore of a marinade it in the morning, grill it at night game. The shortest amount of time you can get away with is one hour. Any shorter and the marinade won’t have a chance to work its magic.
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Air Fryer Marinated Steak
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Today, Im going to show you how to make a delicious and easy air fryer marinated steak. This meal is perfect for busy weeknights or when you want something healthy but flavorful.
The recipe calls you to marinate your steak in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but its best to marinate overnight! But of course if you do not have time or simply forgot, you can also marinate it for shorter duration.
When ever i cook steak for us on a weeknight, its a good food night!
The key to making a flavorful steak is the marinade. I use simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now. Youll need olive oil, dried herbs like oregano and thyme.
How To Properly Marinate A Steak
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In this article we will cover how to properly marinate a steak to add some taste complexity and to take your grilling experience to the next level. Steak doesnt need much help to taste amazing. A dash of salt is enough for most people. However, master grillers know that a good marinade never hurts. Steak meat is not very dense so it absorbs most flavors. A good marinade can make a cheap steak taste great and an expensive cut taste even better! There are a few secrets to marinate a steak, we will be going over some in this article. Along with including a few of my favorite marinade recipes. Remember that cooking is about self-exploration, get out there and test things for yourself. Its a great way to learn, it also helps build confidence. Plus nothing beats a great meal that you came up with yourself. Before we get started with marinades lets go over certain cuts of beef, and how to prepare them for their marinade.
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How To Cook Marinated Steak In The Oven
How To Cook Marinated Steak Tips In A Frying Pan
Answer
How to cook marinated steak tips in a frying pan can vary depending on the recipe, but generally, you will need to add some oil and heat up the pan until it is hot. Then, add your steak and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until it is cooked through. dependent on how well done you want your steak, you may also need to adjust the cooking time according to how thick your meat is.
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Best Steak Marinade Recipe
The absolute best steak marinade recipe that will quickly become your âgo-toâ for any cut of steak! Not only does it help tenderize the meat but it also adds a delicious savory flavor. This is the only beef marinade youâll ever need!
With this recipe for marinating steaks, I have created a tried and tested way of guaranteeing your steak will taste amazing every single time. I often receive emails from my readers telling me how much they love this flavorful grilled steak marinade. Weâre talking robust flavor that is both easy and quick to prepare. If youâre looking to make the best grilled steaks, then this recipe is a must have!
Itâs important that you marinate steak because not only does it add a lot of flavor, but it also tenderizes the meat making it easier to eat. This marinade works really well on tougher cuts of meat and really helps break down the tough fibrous tissues.
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Can You Marinate Steak Too Long
Can you marinate steak for too long? Yes, you actually can marinate your steak for too long. Marinating a few hours can give your meat an excellent taste and texture. But doing it for days will have counter effects like over-powering the flavor of the meat, making the meat mushy or changing the meat’s color.
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What Youll Need For This Recipe
This easy marinade is a cinch to pull together and you probably have most, if not all, of these ingredients in your pantry.
Lets take a quick look at what youll need here and, as always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- extra virgin olive oil this is the base of our marinade.
- balsamic vinegar one of my favorite marinade ingredients, balsamic vinegar adds incredible depth to this marinade and goes so well with steak. Gives your steak a restaurant quality.
- soy sauce I opt for low sodium otherwise I find the steak is too salty.
- Worcestershire sauce adds savory, complex flavor.
- pineapple juice this will help tenderize even the leanest cuts of steak.
- brown sugar subtle sweetness and molasses flavor that isnt overwhelming. Honey is a good alternative.
- Dijon mustard rounds out the flavors and pulls the marinade together.
- ground black pepper for seasoning.
- garlic powder fresh garlic will burn easily on a grill so I like to use garlic powder instead. Not enough to overpower the flavor of the steak, just enough to enhance it.
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How Long To Marinate Steak
Like we said, many recipes say to marinate overnight. What happens if you dont have that long to wait or you get tied up the next day and dont even make it to the grill? Either scenario could work out to be OK, but again different cuts of beef will react differently to the marinade. Also, marinade ingredients can have different reactions with the meat.*
For a nice juicy steak originating from the tender portion of the cow marinating is not necessary, or even recommended. It is recommended to only use salt and pepper on tender cuts of steak before grilling or searing. Salt tender steaks only about 30 minutes prior to cooking as they rest on the counter. This is because salt tends to draw out the moisture from the meat, leaving behind a dry steak if it was salted too early. This holds true for cuts of beef labeled tenderloins, top loins, T-bone and porterhouse steaks.
For ribeye steaks, tri-tip steaks and top sirloin steaks marinating can be beneficial to make them as flavorful and sealed on the outside as possible. A marinade will never reach the center of the meat, so poking with a fork will help impart more flavor and tenderize.
For tougher cuts of steak like chuck steak, shoulder steak, top round steak, bottom round steak, skirt steak, hanger steak and flank steak marinating is a necessity unless you were blessed with razor sharp teeth.
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What Is Steak Marinade
Steak marinade refers to a combination of ingredients added to steak to tenderize and add flavor. Steak marinade can be made of liquids, like my recipe below, or a combination of dry ingredients thats most often referred to as a dry rub. When I make a marinade, I aim to combine the following: an acid to tenderize + an oil + flavor. For my acids, I usually use soy sauce, lemon juice, orange juice or even Dr.Pepper or Coke. I prefer using a light olive oil in my marinades. I always add some salt for flavor, but I also like to add garlic, onion or onion powder and dried seasonings. There are so many types of marinade its always fun to try new recipes!
Why Marinades Work Magic
- Acidor Enzyme: All great marinades will contain either an acid or an enzyme. In the skirt steak marinade, the lemon juice is our acid. It will weaken the tough fibers of the meat and enhance flavor. Creating tender flavorful meat. Do not over marinate, however, If meat sits in a marinade too long the meat will become mushy, dry, and actually tough.
- Salts: Salt plays an essential role in getting the flavors to penetrate beneath the surface of the meat. Salt is not only add on its own, but the salt found in the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce helps too. First, the salt draws out the moisture from the meat, then as the water is reabsorbed into the meat flavors from the spices and garlic are carried with it. This allows the flavor to get deep inside the meat while helping to break down muscle fibers helping it to tenderize.
- Oil: Oil is important because it helps carry fat-soluble flavors from the spices and pepper, past the surface of the meat, and into it.
- Put it all together: When you combine acid, salts, oils with seasonings, herbs, and even sugars you allow so much more to happen to meat than just a simple brine ever could. You can tenderize tough meat, add flavor deep within and create moist cuts of meat from normally dry ones. Yup, itâs like magic. And this skirt steak marinade has all those ingredients!
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